skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Medical copays reduce health care access in MS prisons; Israel planted explosives in pagers sold to Hezbollah according to official sources; Serving looks with books: Libraries fight 'fast fashion' by lending clothes; Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

JD Vance calls for toning down political rhetoric, while calls for his resignation grow because of his own comments. The Secret Service again faces intense criticism, and a right to IVF is again voted down in the US Senate.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A USDA report shows a widening gap in rural versus urban health, a North Carolina county remains divided over a LGBTQ library display, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz' policies are spotlighted after his elevation to the Democratic presidential ticket.

What's on the School Menu? Some MN Students Now Help Decide

play audio
Play

Friday, March 7, 2014   

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A unique twist on the Farm to School program in Minnesota now has students taking a lead role in getting fresh and local produce out of the fields and onto the menu.

Farm to School has been in place for about five years at Morris Area High School.

That's where agriculture teacher Natasha Mortenson has put juniors and seniors in charge of evaluating the menu and partnering with the food service staff.

"And actually talking to farmers on the telephone and securing some foods that will come into our cafeteria,” she adds. “It's a great experience for the students to develop their leadership skills and communication skills, as well as a great learning tool of learning about Farm to School and how you can secure food for that."

The activities that Mortenson created for her own classroom have been incorporated into the latest curriculum to be offered with Farm to School.

The efforts are supported by the Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.

Erin McKee VanSlooten, farm-to-institution senior program associate with the Institute, says getting students involved helps to take some of the planning burden off of school staff, already spread thin.

"It's an elegant solution to have the students helping to remove some of that heavy workload from the school staff and also giving them the opportunity to really take ownership and leadership in their Farm to School program," she says.

In addition to the educational opportunities for students, VanSlooten says Farm to School provides more markets for area farmers and can play a role in the fight against obesity.

"If you can get these kids to know about where their food is coming from and to learn about what it means to eat locally, they make better choices in their diets and they're going to be healthier,” she says. “And the earlier that you can reach them, the sooner they're going to make those healthy choices"

At last count in 2012, about 240 districts statewide were taking part in Farm to School with more coming on board each year.




get more stories like this via email

more stories
Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …


Social Issues

play sound

From gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson to Superintendent of Public Instruction hopeful Michele Morrow, some Republicans running for office have …

Social Issues

play sound

California is home to more than 181,000 people who are unhoused, with 75,000 in Los Angeles alone, so the Los Angeles Food Policy Council will host a …


The California Department of Conservation is holding a public meeting online on Sept. 24, to update the public on its progress in plugging abandoned oil wells. (Alizada Studios/Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Groups concerned about pollution and climate change are asking Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a trio of bills dubbed the "make polluters pay" package…

Social Issues

play sound

This week, National Voter Registration Day was another timely reminder for Ohioans preparing for the 2024 general election. The latest reports from …

The American Heart Association said caregivers often experience personal and spiritual growth, discovering their own resilience, competence and capacity for sacrifice as they help a friend or loved one. (Justlight/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

September is Self-Care Awareness Month and the American Heart Association in Missouri is urging caregivers to take some much-needed time for themselve…

Environment

play sound

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

Social Issues

play sound

Colorado voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to ensure families have school choice as a fundamental right. Kallie Leyba…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021